Kalen DeBoer praises Ryan Williams after multi-TD game against Mercer
By Mark Kern
Published:
Kalen DeBoer is in his first season in Tuscaloosa, but once again has Alabama right in contention to make the SEC Championship as well as a potential berth in the College Football Playoff.
The Crimson Tide got one step closer on Saturday after they knocked off Mercer 52-7. Jalen Milroe had 229 yards of offense and 3 total touchdowns, with one of those being a 14-yard pass to Ryan Williams.
It wasn’t the biggest statistical game of his freshman season, as he finished with 3 catches for 36 yards and that score. However, the 17-year-old also showed off his playmaking as he also had a 29-yard rushing touchdown. After the game, DeBoer talked about what makes his freshman special and different from others.
“He is a player that comes to work every day,” DeBoer said. “Nothing goes to his head. He is all about the team, he really is. When we call upon him or when we need him to make a play, he is ready. He is consistent each and every day. I have been challenging him to be a leader. We are looking to him as a guy who is one of our playmakers, and the respect the whole team has for him has been there since day one. There is a maturity that is well beyond his years.”
Coach DeBoer jokes about Ryan Williams age and sums up his freshman year so far. #alabamafootball #ryanwilliamsage pic.twitter.com/qET8NJPj8B
— Alabama Crimson Tide | AL.com (@aldotcomTide) November 16, 2024
Deboer did also throw a little joke on his age, saying, “I think we know how old he is, right?”
On the season, Williams has 37 catches for 731 yards and 7 touchdowns, with all 3 of those statistics leading Alabama. The Crimson Tide have 2 regular season games remaining, as they are at Oklahoma next week and then finish at home against Auburn.
